Why Suicide-by-Cop Numbers Are Down in Washington

Suicide-by-cop numbers had been on the rise, and the state has taken measures to keep those numbers down and get people with mental health issues help.

Washington State Patrol has started using beanbag rounds when encountering such cases.

A suicide-by-cop is when a suicidal or mentally unwell person instigates a police officer to draw their weapon and shoot them. The suspect usually will reach into their pockets to imitate drawing a weapon. This usually happens with people who are suicidal but aren't willing to kill themselves.

This new measure was put in place after a man was shot by officers on I-5 after exiting his vehicle with a large knife after a traffic stop.